by Bob Ross » Sat Mar 24, 2007 2:43 pm
Jeff, it depends if you are honing or sharpening your blade.
The CIA teaches the following, which I've checked with a number of knife collectors and maker, including my son -- an expensive hobby I must say.
Honing is done every time you use your knife -- I hit each edge 10 times before and after using my chef's knife, sometimes during use. The honing steel is a steel stick with grooves in the steel. The purpose of the honing steel is to basically straighten the edge of the blade, which is thin and will bend a bit during use. If you look at the edge along its length before and after honing you can see a distinct difference; a good test of a properly honed blade is its ability to cut a sheet of paper held perpendicular to the blade's edge. Very little if any material is removed by proper honing -- think "shaving" and "straightening", not "sharpening".
[The CIA technique: Hold the knife and the steel at a 20 degree angle to each other along the cutting edge, and draw the blade across the steel with a sweeping motion as if you were shaving the steel [or draw the steel across the blade in a similar fashion. I find it easiest to put the end of the steel on the counter, and either lift or lower it to the 20 degree angle, depending on which edge I'm straightening, hold the steel steady, and shave the edge of the blade by moving the knife.
More coordinated folks use much nicer techniques -- watching a pro hone moving both knife and steel like a conductor in front of the Philharmonic is a great joy -- but this simple technique works well for me. The 20 degree angle is always "correct" and stable.]
Sharpening is a whole different technique, often involving oil or water, and material is removed. It shouldn't be necessary more often than once every two or three months for a home cook. I do think material is removed then and I would stay far away from food when sharpening knives.
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